CRASH OF A C-47A DAKOTA
BETWEEN COOKTOWN AND PORT MORESBY
ON 27 MARCH 1945

 

USAAF C 47A-90-DL Dakota, #43-16011, c/n 20477 (see Note below) disappeared on a flight between Cooktown and Finschhafen on 27 March 1945.

Michael Claringbould's book, "The Forgotten Fifth" mentions that Captain Eldred Kellogg was never seen again after take-off from Cooktown in a C-47 headed for Ward's airfield in Port Moresby on 27 March 1945.

Another source shows that Lt. Gregor M. Bronson, of the 8th Bomb Squadron of the 3rd Bomb Group boarded a C-47 at Garbutt airfield in Townsville on 27 March 1945 on his way to Finschhaven in New Guinea. I have assumed that this was this aircraft.

With assistance from Gordon Birkett I can now confirm that the twenty four crew and passengers on this aircraft were as follows:-

CREW
Capt. Eldred E. Kellogg (0-803830) 772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
Capt. James E. Dickey (0-804626) 772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
S/Sgt. William P. Caruthers (37226279) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
S/Sgt. Morris Cohen (31159757) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

 

PASSENGERS
Capt. Robert F. Mekker (0-804705)
1st. Lt. Richard F. Stanley (0-762500) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
S/Sgt. William I. Shaw (16186470) 772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
2nd. Lt. Harvey J. McHenry (0-771085) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
1st. Lt.Victor Paschild (0-759722) 772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
2nd. Lt. Gregor N. Bronson (0-762454) 8th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Group, Large
S/Sgt. Luigi F. Bettina (32742626) 772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
S/Sgt. Fred O. Miller (18062910) 772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
Sgt. Frank A. Lovalle (33603032)
Sgt. James F. Tyres (34711240)
Sgt. Glenn E. Sinclair (6245345) 772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
Sgt. Albert L. Descochers (31353365)
Sgt. Harry C. Gould (36454944) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
Sgt. Michael Mikula (12135212) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
Sgt. Emerson A. Tanner (34651430) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
Sgt. Selby L. Yates (16075385) 773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large
2nd. Lt. Robert A. Daube (0-779805) 65th Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy
2nd. Lt. Thomas D. Galey (0-206078) 403rd Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy
2nd Lt. Kenneth W. Sober (0-783215) 65th Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy
2nd. Lt. Robert G. Powell (0-2034437)

The following data is from the American Battle Monuments Commission Home Page:-

Eldred E. Kellogg

Captain, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-803830

772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: New York
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

 

James E. Dickey

Captain, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-804626

772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: North Carolina
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

 

William F. Caruthers

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

37226279

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Kansas
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Morris Cohen

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

31159757

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Massachusetts
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards: Air Medal

 

Richard F. Stanley

First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-762500

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: California
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards: Air Medal

 

William I. Shaw

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

16186470

772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Michigan
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Harvey J. Mc Henry

Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-771085

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Pennsylvania
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Victor Paschild

First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-759722

772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Oregon
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

 

Gregor M. Bronson

First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-762454

8th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Washington
Died: July 27, 1945 (This is the wrong date but other details seem to agree)
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Luigi F. Bettina

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

32742646

772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: New York
Died: July 27, 1945 (This is the wrong date but other details seem to agree)
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Fred O. Miller

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

18062910

772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Texas
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Glenn E. Sinclair

Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

06245345

772nd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Colorado
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Harry C. Gould

Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

36454904

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Michigan
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards: Air Medal

 

Michael Mikula

Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

12135212

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Emerson A. Tanner

Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

34651430

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: South Carolina
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Selby L. Yates

Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

16075385

773rd Bomber Squadron, 417th Bomber Group, Large

Entered the Service from: Illinois
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Robert A. Daube

First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-779805

65th Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy

Entered the Service from: California
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

 

Thomas D. Galey

Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

02060788

403rd Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy

Entered the Service from: Georgia
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards: Air Medal

 

Kenneth W. Sober

Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

0-783215

65th Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy

Entered the Service from: Oklahoma
Died: March 27, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines

qld144a.jpg (43498 bytes)

An official record of the loss of
this aircraft (via Gordon Birkett)

 

qld144b.jpg (56624 bytes)

Another official record of the loss of
this aircraft (via Gordon Birkett)

 

NOTE:-  The "Aircraft Crash Sites" list shows the C-47 as aircraft No. #43-16013 whereas Peter Nielsen's book "Diary of WWII - North Queensland" shows it as #43-16011.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Birkett and Norman Weeding for their assistance with this home page.

 

SOURCE:-   Aircraft Crash Sites - Australia

Crash:         No. 16

Position:     15.28 - 145.14

Department of Aviation Chart No:       3112

 

REFERENCE BOOK

The Forgotten Fifth
A Classic Photographic Chronology of the
Fifth Air Force in Action in the Pacific in WW2

By Michael Claringbould

"Diary of WWII - North Queensland"
Complied by Peter Nielsen

 

Particularly the location of the crash. Was it in Australia
or New Guinea or in between?

 

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This page first produced 9 February 1999

This page last updated 27 February 2020